Two Western Conference climbers meet with real stakes on Wednesday night as the Houston Rockets host the San Antonio Spurs at Toyota Center. It’s the third of four clashes between these in-state rivals, a late-January gut check with home-court swagger and playoff seeding tension baked in. The final injury report draws clear lines: Houston is without Steven Adams for the rest of the season and continues to miss Fred VanVleet, while San Antonio lists Jeremy Sochan as questionable.

Tip is set for 8:30 PM CT (9:30 PM ET) on ESPN. The Spurs arrive at 31-15, second in the West. The Rockets are 28-16, fourth in the conference, and a blistering 16-3 at home.

Spurs vs Rockets injury report: who’s in, who’s out

Houston’s frontcourt took a major hit this week. “Steven Adams has undergone surgery on his left ankle and will miss the rest of the 2025/26 season,” reported Shams Charania of ESPN. Adams suffered the injury—a Grade 3 sprain—on January 18 in a win over New Orleans and was initially ruled out indefinitely. The surgery ends his year.

Adams logged 32 games (11 starts) for the Rockets, averaging 22.8 minutes, 5.8 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 0.6 blocks. His calling card was the glass: 4.5 offensive boards per game. Those second-chance rebounds helped power a Houston team that sits No. 1 in both overall rebounding percentage and offensive rebounding percentage. Replacing that work is not simple.

Also out for Houston is guard Fred VanVleet (ACL). Without him, the Rockets have turned to Amen Thompson to run the point. Thompson’s size and speed can bend defenses, and Houston still has frontcourt depth with Alperen Sengun and Clint Capela to anchor the paint.

For San Antonio, forward Jeremy Sochan is questionable due to left quad soreness. The Spurs are otherwise healthy, with several two-way and G League players—Harrison Ingram, David Jones Garcia, Stanley Umude, and Tristen Newton—listed out.

“No Adams, but Houston still owns the glass—prove it.”

Steven Adams’ surgery and Houston’s plan on the boards

Adams’ value shows up in all the little battles most fans don’t see. His 4.5 offensive rebounds per game extended possessions and wore down defenses. He sealed big bodies, carved out space, and created second shots that change runs and late-game math. That work helped make Houston the league’s best rebounding outfit by percentage.

With Adams sidelined for the season, Houston will rely even more on Sengun and Capela to hold their rebounding edge. Sengun brings skill and touch near the rim. Capela adds verticality and rim protection. Together, they can still tilt the rebounding fight, especially at home where the Rockets are 16-3 and comfortable controlling pace and paint.

There will be roster questions too. The Disabled Player Exception deadline passed on January 15, so Houston cannot seek that cap relief for Adams now. The Rockets will need to navigate the rest of the season with internal answers and timing their rotations to protect the glass.

“If Sochan suits up, can he slow Houston’s second chances?”

Spurs health check: Jeremy Sochan’s status matters

Sochan’s versatility is a swing factor for San Antonio. He guards multiple spots, rebounds, and helps push the pace in transition. If he plays, it gives the Spurs another strong, switchable body to deal with Houston’s size on the boards and the drive-and-kick actions that Amen Thompson triggers at the point.

If he sits, San Antonio will need to be crisp with gang rebounding—five players crashing the defensive glass—to keep Houston from owning the second-chance battle. The rest of the Spurs’ rotation is stable, which helps on the road against a team that punishes mistakes.

Standings, form, and the season series

This is a tight race near the top of the West. San Antonio is 31-15 and in second. Houston is 28-16 and in fourth. It’s the third of four games between the teams this season, and the series is even.

• November 7, 2025: Spurs 121, Rockets 110
• January 20, 2026: Rockets 111, Spurs 106

The Rockets’ home form has been elite—16-3 at Toyota Center. That matters late in close games, and it matters for playoff positioning. A win here keeps Houston’s chase alive and tightens the gap on the Spurs. A Spurs road win would swing the tie and underline their staying power in the top two.

“Houston’s 16-3 at home—so why does this feel like a coin flip?”

Matchups to watch: boards, ball pressure, and bench minutes

The glass is the story. Without Adams, can Houston still create a second-chance edge big enough to decide the game? Sengun and Capela will be central, but it’s also about Houston’s wings crashing and securing 50-50 balls. The Spurs will counter with sharp box-outs and quick outlets to keep Houston from stacking extra shots.

Point guard play matters, too. With VanVleet out, Amen Thompson brings downhill juice and length. His drives will test San Antonio’s point-of-attack defense. If the Spurs keep him out of the paint, Houston’s half-court looks get tougher. If he gets two feet in the lane, swing-swing threes and dump-offs to bigs start to pile up.

Bench minutes could decide it. Houston’s depth up front helps, but rotations without Adams must be cleaner. For San Antonio, steady second-unit play on the road can flip momentum and steal a quarter. Winning those non-star stretches is often the difference in tight, late-January battles.

Why this one feels bigger than January

Games like this are about more than one night. For Houston, proving they can keep their rebounding identity without Adams will set the tone for the stretch run. For San Antonio, a road win against a hot home team strengthens their case as a top-two seed with a sturdy defense and balanced attack.

These teams have traded wins already, each by double digits for the Spurs in November and by five for the Rockets last week. Expect a tug of war decided by extra possessions, late-game execution, and which team stays truer to who they are.

How to watch Spurs vs Rockets

The Spurs and Rockets tip at 8:30 PM CT / 9:30 PM ET on ESPN from Toyota Center in Houston. It’s the third meeting of four this season, with the series tied 1–1.

Final injury report: Houston without Steven Adams (season-ending left ankle surgery) and Fred VanVleet (ACL). San Antonio lists Jeremy Sochan as questionable with left quad soreness.

Note: Adams was injured on January 18 versus New Orleans and later underwent surgery. The Disabled Player Exception deadline passed on January 15, so the Rockets cannot seek that specific cap relief now. Houston will lean on in-house depth—Sengun, Capela, and Amen at the point—to cover the gap.

It’s a simple blueprint for both sides: protect the paint, win the glass, and value the ball. The team that does two of those three likely walks out with a win—and a louder voice in the West race.